Norm Champ

Norm Champ serves as Chair of AFPI’s Financial Freedom Initiative, which exposes the adverse effects of an expansive federal government on Americans, particularly through its excessive control over the economy with an alphabet soup of financial regulatory agencies (SEC, FDIC, CFTC, CFPB, FTC, IRS, etc.). This initiative is dedicated to advocating for policies that not only shrink the enormous administrative state but also curb its overregulation of economic activities, which stifles prosperity for all Americans.

Norm is a partner in the Investment Funds Group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He was also the former Director of the Division of Investment Management at the SEC. Under his leadership, the SEC implemented a new rule in July 2014 to reform money market mutual funds.

In November 2019, Champ published his latest book, "Mastering Money: How to Beat Debt, Build Wealth, and Be Prepared for Any Financial Crisis." The book aims to help Americans who are fearful of financial problems by providing them with guidance on organizing their finances and investing for the future and want to recapture their piece of the American dream.

Champ's previous book, published in 2017, is titled "Going Public: My Adventures Inside the SEC and How to Prevent the Next Devastating Crisis." This book shares his experiences at the agency and sheds light on the regulatory process and government policy making. It received positive reviews from various publications.

At Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Champ is a partner in the New York office, heading the regulatory solutions practice in the Investment Funds Group. He advises private fund sponsors on navigating the constantly changing regulatory landscape both in the US and other countries. His unique perspective as a former regulator, former partner of a private fund manager, and current law firm partner makes him sought-after for guidance in this field.

During his time at the SEC, Champ played a leading role in monitoring the investment management industry and addressing regulatory risks and led the SEC’s interactions with the Financial Stability Oversight Council as the Council turned its attention to designating asset management firms as “systemically important.” He also worked on crisis management efforts to protect customers of securities firms. For his service at the SEC, Champ received the Chairman’s Award for Law and Policy in 2014, the Chairman’s Award for Labor Management Relations in 2014 and the Chairman’s Analytical Methods Award in 2013.

Prior to becoming the Director of the Division of Investment Management, Champ held positions as Deputy Director of the SEC's Office of Compliance, Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) and Associate Regional Director for Examinations in the SEC's New York Regional Office. In these roles, he supervised examinations of various financial entities.

Champ also participated in the SEC's Technical Assistance program in different countries including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong. He is a seasoned speaker and has delivered talks on securities law topics at various events and institutions including SEC programs, Princeton University’s Bendheim Center for Finance, the Practicing Law Institute, AIC, the Saudi Central Bank, the New York City Bar Association, the International Bar Association, the

ACA Compliance Group, MFA, ICI and others. Since 2008, Champ has given lectures on investment management law at Harvard Law School.

Before joining the SEC in 2010, Champ served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Chilton Investment Company. Prior to joining Chilton in 1999, Champ was at the law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell. From 1990 to 1992, Champ clerked for the Honorable Charles S. Haight, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Champ is a member of the Advisory Council of the James Madison Program on American Institutions and Ideals at Princeton University. He holds an A.B., summa cum laude, in History from Princeton University, an M.A. in War Studies from King's College London, where he was a Fullbright Scholar, and a J.D., cum laude from Harvard Law School.

Champ has been featured on Newsmax, Bloomberg, Fox Business, CNBC, CBS, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, Yahoo! Finance, Reuters, New York Daily News, MarketWatch, The Atlantic, The Hill, Financial Times, New York Times, Law360, Pensions & Investments, Cheddar News, ThinkAdvisor, Above the Law and Hedge Fund Law Report.